Critical Mineral Resources PLC (LSE:CMRS) has begun drilling at its Agadir Melloul copper-silver project in Morocco, marking a key step towards establishing its first mine and potentially unlocking a resource of global scale.
The programme, which will total 6,000 metres of diamond drilling in its first phase, is targeting shallow layers of copper-rich rock that outcrop at surface.
Drilling will also test deeper formations in the underlying Precambrian basement, which the company says is known to host mineralisation in places.
CMR is aiming to define enough material to support a small-scale mine producing 750 to 1,000 tonnes per day, while also laying the groundwork for a larger resource over time.
Chief executive Charlie Long said: “We’re very excited about our first drill programme, as we build a resource and fundamental value for our shareholders.
"Although, of course, at this stage it is the grade and geometry of the deposit that is our focus.”
What’s being targeted?
The company’s initial exploration target is 150,000 to 200,000 tonnes of contained copper at a copper equivalent grade of 1.2%.
That figure is based on a conceptual model using an average thickness of 2 metres across a 4 square kilometre area, a geometry typical of sedimentary copper systems found in places like central Africa, Poland and the American Southwest.
Mineralised zones are expected to range from 1.5 to more than 5 metres in thickness, with most falling in the 2.0 to 2.5 metre bracket.
The rocks being targeted are described as shallow and gently dipping, which allows for vertical drill holes of 50 metres or less in most cases.
This, combined with easy road access and relatively flat terrain, is expected to keep exploration costs down.
Drilling logistics
Work is being carried out using both a local contractor’s rig and a second rig that is being shipped from western Canada.
The initial 6,000-metre campaign will be done using HQ core, a common size in early-stage exploration that allows detailed geological, structural and metallurgical analysis.
CMR has already prepared 50 drill pads, a process the company said took only a few days thanks to the favourable topography.
Drill core samples will be used to understand not just the grade and width of mineralisation, but also the character of the rocks including stratigraphy (layering), petrology (rock type), and metallurgy (how the metal occurs and how it can be extracted).
Background
CMR, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, is developing its first project in Morocco, a country it sees as geologically attractive and well positioned to supply raw materials to Europe.
In 2023, the company acquired an 80% stake in Atlantic Research Minerals, a local exploration and geological services business, and in 2025 it signed a joint venture deal giving it the right to earn up to 60% of the Agadir Melloul project.
The company is focused on copper and other so-called critical minerals, which are essential for technologies like electric vehicles, power grids and renewable energy infrastructure.
With copper widely seen as entering a new supply and demand “supercycle”, driven by electrification and constrained new supply, early-stage projects like Agadir Melloul are beginning to attract attention.